Idler for belt conveyers



March 11 192 1.

G. NELSON IDLER FOR. BELT CONVEYERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23 1923 I I I I I gwventoq March 11 1924,;

v G. NELSON IDLER FOR BELT couvsmns Filed March 23 1923 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 gnve nfoz Gus Ne Zs'on GUS NELSON, OFDOUGLAS, ARIZONA.

Y IDLEB. FOR BELT CONVEYERS.

Application filed March 23, 1923. Serial No. 627,110.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs-NELsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Douglas, in the county of Cochise and State'of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Idlers for Belt Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to conveyers of that type in which a belt is supported by and runs upon a series ofrollers disposed transversely to the belt and supporting the side edges thereof .in relatively elevated positions 'so that the belt has a trough-like cross sect ional outline. The invention relates particularly to the support for the belt and has for its object the provision of means whereby the belt may automatically accommodate itself to the variations in the load as the load shifts from side to side of the belt so -that the belt will be maintained in alinement. Another object of the invention is to provide a belt support which will move easily and in which the limit of lateral movement of the belt may be readily regulated. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a transverse section of a belt conwver showing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and a Fig. 5 is a transverse section showing another embodiment of the invention.

balls 7, as clearly shown, and the upper-ex-- tremity of the post is threaded, as shown at 8, to receive lock nuts 9. Pivotally mounted upon the upper portion of the post is a turntable 10 provided centrally with a depending collar or circular rim 11 adapted to enclose the shoulder 6 on the post and constructed with a raceway to engage he balls 7, as clearly shown in Fig 1. -At diametrically opposite points of the turntable, standards 12 are secured thereto, and these standards are equipped with heads 13 at their upper ends which carry the axles or spindles 14 upon which the rollers 15 are mounted, the belt 16 resting upon and traveling over the said rollers. The standards 12- are provided at their lower ends with depending stop lugs 17 which play within the forked upper ends 5 of the arms 4 and in the branches of the forks are mounted set screws 18 which are adapted to be engaged by the said lugs 17 so that the play or movement of the standards may be limited. Anti-friction devices 40 are interposed between the nuts 9 and the upper surface of the turntable 10.

The 'conveyer belt is operated in the usual manner and, under normal conditions; the stop lugs 17 will be disposed midway the branches of the respective forks 5 and out of contact with the set screws 18. In actual practice, it happens at times that'the load upon the belt will not be distributed equally transversely of the same so that the belt tends to run to one side. The pull upon the side toward which the belt tends to run will, therefore, be increased'and, as a result, the belt will partake of a reverse movement so that it tends to right itself and remain in alinement.If the rollers supporting the belt beimounted in a rigid support, the belt will not automatically right itself, but the wear upon the belt becomes uneven and frequent repairs or readjustment of the belt be rigidly held inasmuch as the load is light or other conditions maintain an even distribution of'the pull upon the belt.

The arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is designed for comparatively light belts, the normal load upon which is not very heavy. In Figs. 8 and 4, I have shown a further development of the invention which is especially applicable for belts carrying heavier loads and which are given a greater dish so that they present transsupporting yokes 27 carrying the beltsup-- versely a deeper trough. In this embodiment of the invention,,the deck or main frame may be of the same construction as the deck- 1, previously described, and u on the said deck at intervals are secure frames 21 having side standards 22 and a central post 23. The said post 23 corresponds in all respects to the post 3-previously described, and. the table 24' is constructed with a depending collar 25 to encircle the post and is held thereon by lock nuts 26, antifriction balls 27 being interposed-between the turntable and the annular shoulder on the base, as .shownand as will be readily.

understood. Secured upon theturntable at diametrically opposite points and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom are porting rollers 2."The standards 22 are equipped at their upper ends with arcuate raceways 29 and upon the under sides of the yokes '27 at the upper outer ends thereof are mating raceways 30, anti-friction balls or rollers 31 being fitted between and retained in the mating raceways, as will be readily understood. The operation of this embodiment of the invention is the same as theoperation of the first described embodiment, but the set "screws of the first described form are omitted inasmuch as with the deeper trough the load'is concentrated more nearly at the center or bottom of the belt and there is, therefore, less tendency of the belt to pull to one side. The

load,. however, obviously. may be heavier than the load carried by the first described belt and the supporting structure is, therefore, stronger than the supporting structure in the first described form. The greater extent of the anti-friction members provides a greater supporting area and, therefore, furnishes the desired firm stable base for the moving elements and inasmuch as there are a greater number of anti-friction devices, the belt will respond quickly to any slight tendency to side movement and will just as quickly return to its normal position. In all formsof the invention, the

, parts are compactly arranged and the bearing balls or rollers are completely housed so that'they a'renotapt to be broken by chance 'blows and the device will remain operative under all conditions. My invention eliminates the side idlers which are now employed and which destroy the edges of the belts. s

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the base plate 41 is constructed with a central depending cup or well 42 which extends through the. deck 43. The turn- I table 44 is provided centrally with a dependsupporting ing pin 45 which fits rotatablywithin the cup or well 42, as shown, and anti-friction devices 46 are interposed between the base plate and the turntable around. the upper end of the pin. Annular ribs 47 ,and' 48 are formed on the. base plate and the turntable respectively to house the anti-friction de-- vices and to cooperatewith the pin 45 and the well 42 to prevent vertical rocking of .the turntable. At the edge of the-base plate are spaced stops ,49 to be engaged by a projection 50 on the turntablev to limit the .turningmovement of the latter. Standards 51 are secured on the turntable to carry the belt-supporting rollers 52. WVhile' the belt is usually supported by rollers under its center' and under both edge portions, the center roller may be omitted if desired Having thus described thein'vention, what is claimed as new is:

the combination of a main support, a turn- 1. In a .conveyer of the type described,

table, a pivot mounting the turntable on the support, a'collar depending from the turn table and encircling the pivot, anti-friction devices arranged about the'pivot between the turntable and the support and housed. by

the collar, and means on the turntable for 'supportin a conveyer belt.

2. In a elt conveyer of the typedescribed, I

the combination of a main support, a turntable mounted thereon, centering devices on thesupport and the turntable, anti-friction devices arranged between the turntable and the support and housed by the centering 1 devices, fixed stops on the support at one side ofthe turntable, a projection onthe turntable playing between said stops to limit the pivotal movement of the turntable, and

belt-supporting members carried by the turntable.

3. In a belt conveyer ofthe type described,

the combination of a main supporting strucl- 7 from the structure at opposite sides .of the ture, a' post rising therefrom, arms rising post and having forked upper ends, a turntable pivotally fitted about the post, antifriction devices arranged between-the post and the turntable, standards carried by and rising from the turntable and provided with depending .stoplugs fitting within the forked upper ends of the said arms, adjustable stop devices mounted in the forked ex- GUS NELSON.- 1.. 5. 

